Portable electric sterilizer



sept. 1o, 1957 H. K. mi@ 2,805,454

PORTABLE ELECTRIC STERILIZER Filed Jan. 12. 1955' 2,805,454 PORTABLE ELECTRIC STERILIZER Harry K. Illrig, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Allis- Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application January 12, 1955, Serial No. 481,413 1 Claim. (Cl. 21-82) This invention relates to a sterilizer for medical instruments and more particularly to -a portable electric liquid conductor sterilizer. The invention is particularly useful for sterilizing hypodermic syringes.

Sterilizers and vaporizers have heretofore been constructed utilizing the principle of liquid conductor heating and consequently no claim is made that such principle of heating is new.

Prior art electric sterilizers and particularly electric hypodermic-syringe sterilizers heretofore made have involved complicated constructions which rendered them bulky, inconvenient to transport, and diiicult to clean.

One such prior art device comprises a cumbersome ceramic housing having an enlarged base portion for containing a heating element and a narrower stack portion for passing sterilizing vapor to the atmosphere. One of the disadvantages of this type sterilizer is that it is large and bulky and therefore not easily handled or moved. A further disadvantage is they are diiiicult to clean because of the opening to the base is constricted and the base inaccessible.

Electric sterilizers heretofore constructed have notbeen made small enough to be conveniently carried in a coat pocket. Known prior art electric sterilizers have not successfully combined thorough sterilization, portability, ease of cleaning, simplicity of construction, and low manufacturing cost.

Accordingly, it is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an electric liquid conductor sterilizer which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electric liquid conductor sterilizer which can quickly and easily be assembled and disassembled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electric liquid conductor sterilizer which can beeasily and convenientlytransported. Y

Another object of the present invention is to 4provide an improved electric liquid conductor sterilizer which can be easily carried in a Vest or coat pocket.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved electric liquid conductor sterilizer which can be more economically manufactured than are the sterilizers of the prior art.

Still further objects will be apparent and the invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing showing by way of an example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea. Like parts in the several ligures bear the same reference character.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a sterilizer embodying the present invention inserted into a conventional electrical outlet;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the sterilizer of Fig. l taken along line II-II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the sterilizer of Fig. 1

icc

2 taken along line III- III of Fig. 1 (with the syringe being omitted for clarity); and

Fig. 4 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the sterilizer of Fig. 1 (the electric power source being omitted for clarity).

In the drawing a hollow cylinder or tube 11 of suitable non-conductive material such as glass or plastic having open ends 12 'and 13 is provided with electrically insulated stopper means, such as rubber Stoppers 14 and 15, for closing open ends 12 and 13 respectively.

Open ends 12 and 13, are preferably of equal dimension so that Stoppers 14 and 15 may be interchanged For clarity of description, however, stopper 14 shall be referred to as the top stopper and stopper 15 shall be referred toas the bottom stopper.

Stopper 14 has la passage 20 bored therethrough for venting tube 11 of spent vapor and for relieving any excess pressures which might otherwise -occur within the tube.

Stopper 15 has defined therein substantially longitudinal passages 21 and 22 through which electrodes, such as stainless steel electrodes 23 and 24 -are respectively removably inserted in Huid tight relationship with stopper 15. Electrodes 23 and 24 are of greater longitudinal dimension than stopper 15 and respectively present, when stopper 15 is inserted in open end 13 of tube 11, electrode portions 25 and 26 extending outwardly from stopper 15 and electrode portions 27 and 2S extending into tube 11. Stopper 15 containing electrodes 23 and 24, when inserted into open end 13 of tube 11 as previously described, provides means by which electric current, created by an external power source, such as battery 29, and available at an external supply source, such as conventional outlet 30, may be conducted into tube 11.

An instrument supporting means such as stainless steel rack 33 is inserted within tube 11 and supports a medical instrument such as hypodermic syringe 34.

Rack 33 as shown has a plurality of loops 35 and 36 vertically displaced from each other within tube 11 for surrounding and supporting syringe 34 and an additional loop 37 for supporting syringe 34. Lower loop 36 has -a diameter somewhat smaller than the cylinder of syringe 34 so that syringe 34 is supported vertically by loop 36.

It is understood,rhowever, that any -suitable instrument supporting means may be substituted for that illustrated within the intended scope of the present invention.

Depending from stopper 14 and frictionally held thereby is a member 41. Formed in the dependent end of member 41 is an eye 42 which engages with eye 43 of rack 33 to provide a Ypivotable link between rack 33 and stopper 14. Thus slt-opper 14 provides support forrack 33. It is understood that any suitable exible pivo'table linking arrangement may be substituted for the linking means described within the intended scope of the present invention.

In Figs. 1 and 4, -syringe 34 is shown -supported for sterilization by being inserted through loops 35 and 36 so as to rest vertically upon loop 36 and lean upon loop 37. Loop 35 is so arranged that needle 46 of syringe 34 Ican not contact either the inner wall of tube 11 or electrodes 23 and 24 thereby protecting the sharpness of the needle point.

rEube 11 having previously been closed at its bottom by stopper 15 is lled with a suitable quantity of an electric conductive liquid such as w-ater 48 so as to electrically connect electrodes 23 and 24.

Outwardly extending portions 25 and 26 of electrodes 23 and 24 respectively are lconnected to a suitable source of electric current such as battery 29 and conventional outlet 30, and inwardly extending portions 27 and 23 of electrodes 23 and 24 respectively are connected by liquid 48 so that a complete electric circuit is formed.

The tube is of such length that the electrical circuit is disposed sufliciently away from the opening 12 to prevent the hazard of electrical shock.

To sterilize a medical instrument such as hypodermic syringe 34, stopper 15, having electrodes 23 and 24 inserted therethrough is inserted into and closes end 13 of tube 11. A suitable quantity of electric 'conductive liuid 48 is disposed in tube 11 and surrounds inwardly extend# ing electrode portions 27 and 28. Syringe 34 is placed in rack 33 lbyrinserting syringe 34 through loops 35 and 36 and `resting syringe 34 against loop 37 and upon loop 36. Syringe 34 and rack 33 are then lowered into tube 11 and stopper 14 is inserted in open end 12 of tube 11. Outwardly extending portions 25 and 26 of electrodes 23 and 24 respectively are then connected to electric current by being inserted in outlet 30.

The passage of current through the electrical circuit causes heat to be induced in liquid 48 which results in liquid 48 volatilizing and creating a sterilizing atmosphere Y of steam, when Water is the conductive fluid utilized, in

tube 11 surrounding syringe 34. rIhe steam passes upward through tube 11 and out vent 20. When the supply of liquid 48 is exhausted, the electric 'circuit is broken and the sterilizer automatically shuts off,

When the sterilizer has shut itself off, the sterilized syringe is removed by withdrawing rack 33 and syringe 34 from tube 11 by removing stopper 14 and lifting rack until handle of syringe 'can be reached. The syringe 34 may be left in the tube 11 easily available for use by hanging stopper 14 over side of tube 11. This is possible because of the pivotable connection provided by the linking means such as eyes 42 and 43.

The entire sterilizing operation can be completed in just a few minutes, usually no longer than the time required to prepare the patient or user for treatment.

By enabling both ends of the tube 11 to be opened, the sterilizer is easily and quickly cleaned by `any conventional means.

Electrodes 23 and 24, by being removably insertable in stopper 15, Ican be readily replaced as operating exigencies may demand. The entire device can 'be fabricated out of materials normally found in a laboratory and can be produced quite inexpensively. The light Weight of the device renders it portable and easily transported either assembled lor otherwise in a small space such as a mans vest pocket.

By making tube 11 of glass or a transparent plastic material, operator is enabled to observe the instrument during the sterilizing operation.

While only one embodiment of this invention s herein described Iand illustrated, it is understood that other embodiments and modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein described and set forth in the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

A portable electric sterilizer comprising in combination: a substantially rigid open-ended tube; first and second Stoppers of electrically insulated means compressively inserted within said tube and cooperating therewith to define a sterilization chamber; a substantially unobstructed passageway defined by said first stopper to communicate said chamber with the atmosphere surrounding sai-d sterilizer to provide means for guiding vapor from said chamber to said atmosphere; first and second electrode receiving passages cooperatively defined in and by said second stopper and extending in spaced relationship therethrough in substantially axial relation to said chamber; a pair of electrodes, one being disposed in said first electrode receiving passage and the other being disposed in said second electrode receiving passage, said electrodes being compressively grasped in uid tight relationship by said second stopper in responseV to the lateral `compressive forces being cooperatively induced by said tube and said second stopper, each of said electrodes protruding into said chamber at one end of said second stopper and having an arm-like portion extending away from said second stopper at the other end thereof, said arm-like portion lbeing adapted for direct insertion into one of the slots of a conventional female electrical outlet; a linking member depending from said first stopper and secured therein by the combined action of friction and the lateral compressive forces induced by the cooperative interaction of said tube and said first stopper upon said electrodes, said linking member having a link portion at its end remote of said first stopper; and a vertically mobile instrument supporting rack insertably disposed within said chamber and pivotably connected to and depending from said link portion of said linking means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,007,804 Schimmel Nov. 7, 1911 1,051,433 Moseley Ian. 28, 1913 1,201,207 Leyden Oct. 10, 1916 1,419,593 Thompson June 13, 1922 1,459,831 Jones June 26, 1923 1,508,799 Klett Sept. 16, 1924 1,524,632 Pittenger Ian. 27, 1925 1,599,881 Eisele Sept. 14, 1926 1,694,768 Cook Dec. 11, 1928 1,838,825 Goldstein Dec. 29, 1931 2,116,283 Romolgo May 3, 1938 2,166,284 Brandt July 18, 1939 2,417,626 Blocher Mar. 18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 46,381 Switzerland Aug. 2, 1909 662,207 France Oct. 13, 1928 339,336 Great Britain Oct. 5', 1933 

